Friday, April 30, 2010

OK, so maybe not. But Strange Brew is one of my favorite movies, and I completely forgot about the homemade film that opens the movie. Click below for that post-apocalyptic classic, "Mutants of 2051 AD."

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Yondo the Wizard is an apparently powerful magic-user who terrorizes and extorts the rabble living in the ruins of what once was Beverly Hills. His lair is a large foreboding structure known as The Magic Castle, said to have been built by the Ancients themselves. He claims to have learned his magical secrets and skills from the "Ancient Masters of Abracadabra."

Yondo dresses in flowing white robes topped with a blue hooded and horned helmet which conceals his face. A skilled fighter, Yondo receives a +2 to hit bonus with handheld weapons, as well as a +1 damage bonus. He has a small group of six minions who do his bidding (any intelligent humanoid creature will do), and he rides upon the back of a trained Sky Dragon.

Where Yondo truly excels is his intelligence, having studied every Ancient text he has been able to lay his hands on. In fact, he has one of the most extensive libraries of Ancient tomes in the Thundarr Universe. Because of this, he receives a +30% Technology Roll Modifier. His intelligence and tech skills brings us to Yondo's secret: He is not a real wizard.

In reality, Yondo is actually Lomax, the Beverly Hills village scholar. Years ago, while scouting for research, he stumbled across The Magic Castle and the stage magician secrets it contained. Since he has no real power, but wanting to taste the power of wizards, Lomax studied stage magic in secret, learning the tricks that entertained audiences in Ancient times. He uses these stage tricks to frighten and enslave the villagers as Yondo, but he lives amongst them as Lomax. In this way, he can sow uncertainty about Yondo's powers as well as eavesdrop on information that Yondo can act upon. Lomax's Ancient studies are such that he has developed several stage tricks that border on the mystical to the villagers, but they are still performed with "smoke and mirrors" (or actually high-tech equipment).

Wanting even more power for himself, Yondo actually challenged Thundarr and - for a time - had possession of the Sun Sword. Thundarr was able to retrieve his weapon, but not before Yondo had a chance to examine and duplicate it, creating a very powerful vibroblade he called The Nega-Sword. This blade was able to stand up to the Sun Sword and actually reflected a few blows. Thundarr was able to deactivate it by cutting off its power supply, but the fact that Yondo was able to build so powerful a weapon is a frightening.

In the game, Yondo should be built up as a very powerful wizard whose exact abilities are unknown. The spells he wields have the trappings of the Ancient magicians - balls, rings, cabinets, scarves, etc. However, his tech skills and knowledge make these "spells" just as deadly as the real magic the wizards sling, so Yondo should be treated just as carefully.

NOTE: This villain was inspired by the episode "Master of the Stolen Sun Sword" from the classic Ruby Spears post-apocalyptic cartoon "Thundarr the Barbarian." Stay tuned each week for "Thundarr Thursday"!

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Whenever I design an adventure or new device for Mutant Future, I keep returning to one thought in the back of my head: Where did all this high-tech come from? I try not to dwell on it too much, as the remote past of The Ancients has fallen into the stuff of mythology and legend. At what point in mankind's history the apocalypse occurred is left deliberately undefined in the rulebook to keep such questions from bogging down the game. What WAS is not as important as what IS.

But still, most settings for RPGs in the post-cataclysmic world take place just slightly in our future. There may have been hovercars, but there are still road and highway ruins to be found. Why? Futuristic lasers and pulse rifles are discovered alongside modern firearms. Why were both apparently in use during the Final Wars? Discovered medical technology can instantaneously heal the sick and wounded, but the Ancients apparently had the buildings, towns, clothing, and general everyday trappings of our modern society. So how to explain 24th century devices in a 21st century world?

Giving this some thought, I came up with some background ideas on how the Mutant Lord can reconcile these two seemingly conflicting facets:

* The time of the Final Wars is our near future - say 200-300 years in the future. The basic features of everyday society in 2200-2300 AD would still be very similar to our everyday society of 2000, although the tech level will have advanced considerably. Picture this: A time traveller from 1810 who visits us "today" would still recognize the cities and streets. He'd be able to speak our language. He'd probably be able to function normally with the exception of the items we use everyday. Computers, television, heart transplants, the Space Shuttle. These would be the things of science fiction to him, but to us they're commonplace. So 2300 (or thereabouts) would be similar. Everyday living would be the same, but the tech level would be that of The Ancients.

* Who's to say that the hubris of the Ancients destroyed the world? As creatures like the Brain Lashers (MF rulebook, pg. 63) show us, we may be one day invaded by aliens capable of plane shifting. Or perhaps it could be a good old fashioned otherworldly invasion. These highly advanced beings arrived to enslave mankind. They're the ones who initially brought these high tech devices and weapons, for use in their conquest. As mankind fought back, they secured and developed these items on their own. The apocalypse could have been mankind's last strike against these invaders, or perhaps the invaders just figured they may as well destroy the uppity humans. Either way, the weapons and devices remain; the world is cast in ruins; and the history of this invasion is lost to the ages.

Monday, April 26, 2010

Over on the Dragonsfoot forums, I stumbled across a very interesting set of sci-fi character classes for Mutant Future. Designed and posted by Scott W. Roberts, the classes are an attempt to flesh out and expand upon the basic Pure Strain Human race by giving them subclasses they could specialize in. There are a LOT of options in this 15-page downloadable document. A quick readthrough reveals the following classes:

Fighter

Agent

Psychic

Engineer

Medic

Scholar

And Scott takes it further by "tweaking" some of these new classes into further subclasses such as:

Mad Scientist

Alien

Beast-Man

Martial Artist

New weapons, new psychic abilities, and even new alignments makes this a very meaty supplement for Mutant Future. I suggest downloading this and giving it a readthrough yourself. Lots of smoldering atomic goodness within! Download it by clicking here!

Saturday, April 24, 2010

My weekly Thundarr Thursday series is very popular according to the spike in hits each week. I also see that many of you have downloaded the World of Thundarr the Barbarian supplement I've created, which is also rewarding. But how many of you have actually seen an episode of this cartoon series? I've read more than one comment from visitors saying they never saw the show, but have since discovered it on You Tube. Others remember the show from their youth, but it's been years since they've seen it.

So I'm giving away a three-DVD set of the entire two-season run of Thundarr the Barbarian! One lucky winner will get all 21 episodes on three DVDs. Now's your chance to win the entire run in one few swoop! (Keep in mind that this is a custom-created compilation of the episodes - not a commercial release.)

To enter this contest, you just just have to supply some dialogue for our favorite post-apocalyptic barbarian. Just like a Mad Lib, you simply have to fill in the blanks and post your entry in the comments area of this post. Imagine Thundarr, Ookla, and Princess Ariel bring their mounts to a screeching halt. Thundarr points nearby and shouts:

"Lords of Light! Look! _____ing out from that _____!

It's a _____ with the _____ of a _____!"

That's it. I will randomly select one entry on the next Thundarr Thursday (April 29) to receive the prize. I'll ship internationally, so this is open to all! (But the DVDs may not play unless your player can handle region 1.) Have fun!

The Grizzly Snake is a 20-foot-long snake-like creature that lives in desert and arid areas. The Grizzly Snake isn't a true reptile, however. It is a mutated legless bear that has evolved a lengthened snake-like body covered in a matted brown fur with a large bear's head at one end.

The Grizzly Snake is as aggressive as any angered bear. They do not live in caves though, preferring to use its hyperburrowing mutation to hollow out a large underground pit in which it lives. A Grizzly Snake has evolved a very acute vibration sense that gives it the ability to feel vibrations in the earth from up to 200 yards away. The Grizzly Snake can use this sense like a radar, "feeling" the approximate position of a nearby victim through vibrations from them walking or riding above. The Grizzly Snake will then burrow to a position under the victim, exploding out from under them and surprising them, gaining initiative in the attack.

A Grizzly Snake attacks by wrapping around and strangling a victim. If successful, it will crush a victim for 2d10 hit points of damage. The constriction continues on subsequent rounds. They can also bite for 1d6 hit points of damage, although the bite is not poisonous.

Mutations: hyperburrowing, vibration sense

NOTE: This creature is inspired the episode “Challenge of the Wizards” from the classic Ruby Spears post-apocalyptic cartoon “Thundarr the Barbarian.” Stay tuned each week for “Thundarr Thursday”!

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Tired of toting my dice around with me everywhere, I decided to look for an online number randomizer (other than the useful but bland RANDOM.ORG site). I was very surprised and very pleased to stumble across the Rock'N'Roll Dice Roller available for a free download at Mad Ogre Games. Some of the features in this nifty little app include:

Features over 30 backgrounds by various artists

12 different dice textures to choose from

Pick any kind of dice combination

Dice results displayed in two different ways

Realistic dice rolling physics

Totally random number generation

Dice thrown via Physics Engine

The dice clatter, tumble, and fall just like real dice and you can mix and match the styles and types with each roll. Need to roll 3d6 with 1d12? Go ahead and toss whatever you want. I can see this being a very useful tabletop computer app for Mutant Lords (or GMs or DMs or what have you). Free download available for Windows XP or better, as well as Mac OS X 10.4 and better. Go grab it here: Mad Ogre Games Rock'N'Roll Dice Roller!

Monday, April 19, 2010

The denizens of the Mutant Future live amongst the ruined flotsam of Those Who Came Before. Occasionally, one of these historical outcasts will somehow surface, finding him or herself in the post-apocalyptic hellscape.

The term "Time-Displaced" refers to any character or NPC who is ripped from the period prior to Final Wars that lead to the destruction of society. This does not mean, however, that the character comes from a time just prior to the apocalypse. A Roman Centurion, a 1950s suburban housewife, and a soldier plucked from the frontlines of the Final Wars would all fall into the category of "Time-Displaced." Obviously the skill sets and technical knowledge each possesses will be vastly different, so it will be up to the Mutant Lord to help guide the player in the development of the character's background and abilities. More on that later.

Rather than rolling up a character’s ability scores at the outset, it is more important to initially determine the time period the Time-Displaced arrived from. (It is more common to encounter a Time-Displaced character who hails from the recent past rather than from prehistory. However, the occasional "defrosted Viking" has been encountered in the wastelands.) To determine what time period the character hails from, roll 1d20 and refer to the table below:

1. Stone Age (pre-3500 BC)2. Metal Ages (Copper, Bronze, Iron - 3500 BC to 1000 AD)3. Middle Ages (1000 to 1500 AD)4-6. Age of Discovery (1500 to 1800 AD)7-13. Modern Age (1800 to 2000 AD)14-20. Pre-Apocalyptic Age (2000 AD to The Final Wars)

If desired, now would be a good time to flesh out HOW the character ended up in the Mutant Future. Some of the more common ways include:

* Deliberate (or accidental) freezing via cryogenics or suspended animation device. This character would be automatically released due to a preset timelock or perhaps discovered by an adventuring party.* A time-traveling experiment in the past went awry, hurling the hapless character forward in time. Or a still-running time-traveling device in the Mutant Future reaches back through time and pulls the character to the "present."* The character drops into a state of hibernation when they are overcome by a harsh frozen environment, ie, “frozen caveman in a block of ice”. They revive once they thaw.* The PC steps through a naturally occurring rift in the space-time continuum that promptly seals behind them after they are dropped into the Mutant Future.* The character could have found a way to slow or stop the aging process, and they are actually thousands of years old.

Once the background is fleshed out, the character’s abilities can be rolled. Over the centuries, the abilities of the average human has changed as well. To reflect this, the player should roll their abilities as normal, with the following exceptions:

*** Stone Age characters were strong and hearty, necessary to carry them through the daily task of just trying to survive in the harsh environment of the prehistoric world. Stone Age characters receive a +3 bonus to their STR and CON rolls. They also receive a +4 damage bonus when they hit with any handheld weapon due to their brutishness in combat. However, they have a –15% to their Technology Roll Modifier having never before encountered anything more complex than a rabbit snare. They may even be frightened or overwhelmed by high-tech equipment, equating it with “magic.”

*** Metal Age characters were there for the invention and refining of metal weapons and have refined their abilities and fighting skills to reflect this. They receive a +3 bonus to their STR and DEX rolls. They also receive a +4 to hit bonus with any handheld weapon to reflect their fighting skills. They have a –5% to their Technology Roll Modifier, but they will not fear high-tech, knowing it to be simply machinery they do not understand.

*** Middle Age characters hail from the “Age of Enlightment,” when mankind was beginning to unravel the mysteries of the world around him using the scientific method. Art, civility, and exploring the human condition were most important. To reflect this, characters from the Middle Ages receive a +4 bonus to their CHA and WIL rolls. Middle Age characters were experimenting with ranged weapons like bows, crossbows, and some primitive firearms, so they receive a +2 to hit with ranged weapons. They also receive a +5% to their Technology Roll Modifier, as they have a basic understanding of some of the mechanical principles at work.

*** Age of Discovery characters have begin to spread out and explore their world. They are known for being nomads and travelers as they traversed the world, discovering new lands and new cultures. They have built up their endurance and dexterity to make these voyages, so they receive a +4 bonus to their CON and DEX rolls. Characters from this era have practiced extensively with ranged weapons in order to protect and feed themselves while in the wild. They receive a +2 damage bonus when using a ranged weapon. They also receive a +10% to their Technology Roll Modifier, as they are on the cusp of the modern age of invention.

*** Modern Age characters come from what would be the player’s actual time period – the real world “present.” Modern Age characters are headstrong in more ways than one, giving them a +4 bonus to their INT and WIL rolls. Modern Age characters have evolved with a knowledge of most forms of weaponry and thus receive a +1 bonus to hit and +1 to damage with all weapons, both handheld and ranged. They also receive a +15% to their Technology Roll Modifier, as they are very tech-savvy.

*** Pre-Apocalyptic Age characters come from our “future” - the period just before the bombs fell. They are responsible (or at least experienced with) the advanced tech of that period, inventing most of the high-tech devices, vehicles, and weaponry so coveted by the mutants of the Mutant Future. Because of their advanced knowledge and their personal savoir faire, Post-Modern Age characters receive a +4 to their INT and CHA rolls. They receive no bonuses on their combat/to hit rolls (they let their androids do their fighting, or they just dropped bombs from a distance). However, they receive a +25% to their Technology Roll Modifier, as they were responsible for the creation of many of those devices and would have first-hand experience or knowledge of them.

All Time-Displaced characters calculate their hit points by rolling 1d6 per point of CON. Since they were not raised in the harsh, bizarre environment of the Mutant Future, they receive a –2 saving throw adjustment when saving versus the effects of poisons or radiation. Also, no Time-Displaced PCs will be found with mutations of any kind and will not mutate if exposed to radiation (although they will take damage from the exposure).

Getting its name from the clicking and clacking it makes with its claws and mandibles, the Chatterer is a giant mutant beetle with an incredibly heavy exoskeleton. They are normally found in caves and other underground caverns, preferring to leap out of the darkness to surprise a victim.

The Chatterer attacks with its two giant pincer claws, grabbing and crushing a victim for 1d10 hit points of damage. They may also lift a victim to its mouth, biting them for an additional 1d8 hit points. It is very difficult to successfully attack a Chatterer as their natural armor is nearly impenetrable. However, they are very adverse to fire and will take an extra 1d6 hit points of damage whenever they come into contact with it or are attacked with fire.

Chatterers have only an insectoid intelligence and cannot be trained or otherwise tamed. They attack by instinct only. Some wizards have been known to trap a Chatterer, letting it get nice and hungry before releasing it onto a foe to be dispatched. Chatterers have also wandered into villages, attacking and consuming the weak and the small before being driven out by the villagers. A rampaging Chatterer is a dangerous creature to contend with.

Mutations: natural armor, epidermal susceptibility

NOTE: This creature is inspired by the episode "Master of the Stolen Sunsword" from the classic Ruby Spears cartoon "Thundarr the Barbarian." Stay tuned each week for Thundarr Thursday!

The Sky Dragon is a monstrously large mutant dragonfly used as a means of transport. They are incredibly fast due to their powerful wings, light weight, and quickness mutation. A Sky Dragon has eight legs, a blue exoskeleton, long thin insectoid wings, and large red multifaceted eyes. Due to their size, they can carry up to three human-sized creatures comfortably. They can carry up to 900 pounds and move at full speed. They can carry between 901 and 1,800 pounds and still get airborne, but they'll move at half-speed. A Sky Dragon cannot take flight if encumbered by more than 1,800 pounds.

Because of their fragility, a Sky Dragon isn't normally used in combat, although they can defend themselves if attacked. They will bite at an enemy with its mandibles doing 2d8 hit points of damage if successful. A Sky Dragon can also dive from the sky at an incredible rate of speed, ramming into an opponent and doing 3d10 hit points when attacking in this manner. They will ram only as a last resort as they will take 1d10 hit points of damage themselves from the collision.

Mutations: quickness

NOTE: This creature is inspired by the episode "Master of the Stolen Sunsword" from the classic Ruby Spears cartoon "Thundarr the Barbarian." Stay tuned each week for Thundarr Thursday!

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

In the world of the Mutant Future, illness and disease are common. Oh, but I'm not referring to the myriad of viruses and bacteria that humans and mutants are susceptible to. Bizarre mutated nanobots, corrupt programming codes, and strange metal-dissolving substances endanger the health and well-being of androids, synthetics, and replicants. If your robotic PCs start to think that they're untouchable by organic diseases and illnesses, see how they'll handle contracting one of the following Android Ailments:

Synthetic Stroke - A portion of the android's communication CPU shorts out. The android is unable to communicate clearly as the words it uses do not clearly convey its intent. One common trait is that it can only speak in numbers rather than words. ("What seems to be the problem?" "Five, twenty-six, thirteen!" "I don't understand." "TWELVE!")

Robo-Arthritis - The synthetic lube surrounding the android's joints begins to deteriorate. The android will begin having trouble walking and moving. If not corrected, joints may begin to seize up, rendering the android completely immobile. It is said that some robots suffering from advanced forms of this condition have gone insane when they've been unable to move for years while their AI remains active.

Asimov's Attack - The android's Asimov programming fails or becomes corrupted. Rather than following The Three Laws of Robotics, the android will begin doing the exact opposite of one of the laws at random intervals. It may attack a human without provocation. It may begin deliberately disobey direct commands. Or it may try to injure or destroy itself ("synthetic suicide"). This glitch should occur without warning. ("While discussing your next course of action, IG-88 whips out its laser pistol and - without saying a word - shoots you point-blank in the chest.")

Computer Memory Loss - The android's memory circuits are compromised. Roll 1d6 for the effect: 1. The android relives the same 10 minute time period over and over. 2. The android cannot remember anything that happened more than 1 hour ago. 3. The android remembers everything up until 1 hour ago. 4. The android cannot recall its identity or function, although it remembers everything and everyone else. 5. The android is aware of its own identity, but he treats everyone as if they were strangers. 6. The android reverts to its initial power-up state when he/she first went online. Everything that occurred in its "life" has been wiped clean.

Rust Leprosy - An aggressive microbot attacks the metal parts making up the android. If the 'bot has a metallic outer shell, jagged rusty holes will begin to appear and spread. If the android has a synthetic outer covering, the rot occurs from within, decaying its skeletal structure and circuitry. Once discovered, it could be too late to stop.

Gyroscopic Vertigo - The robot's internal gyroscopic sense of balance has failed. The android's DEX is halved until the gyroscope can be reset or replaced. The android should make constant saves vs. DEX to perform the simplest of tasks. Walking is difficult and anything requiring a degree of coordination is impossible.

Monday, April 12, 2010

The Necrobeast is a large, bear-sized, bipedal, flightless vulture. Just like its Ancient counterpart, the Necrobeast feeds primarily on dead and decaying tissue - preferring it over recently killed prey. It has evolved a special toxic weapon to achieve this.

In combat, a Necrobeast attacks with two vestigial wing-like "clubs" it uses to bludgeon a victim. On a successful attack, these club-like arms do 1d4 hit points of damage. The Necrobeast can also peck at its prey with its beak for a similar 1d4 hit points of damage. However, the Necrobeast's true abilities are in its mutations.

The Necrobeast has evolved the killing sphere mutation. When triggered, all creatures within 25' of the Necrobeast will have their hit points dropped to 1 hp, then a save vs. stun attacks must be made or the victim will drop unconscious for 1d10 rounds. Once incapacitated, the Necrobeast will peck at the victim, injecting a rotting disease into its prey. This rotting disease (similar to a Rot Dog's - see MF rulebook, pg. 92) will immediately inflict 1d10 hit points of damage - probably killing the victim. However, the Necrobeast will let the rotting disease continue to decay the corpse, and it will return in 1d4 weeks to feed upon the rotting remains.

Friday, April 9, 2010

While riding along a cliffside along a sea coast, the PCs will hear the blasts of lasers as a nearby firefight ensues. If they investigate, they'll see two blue-skinned women in robes with shields and tridents being fired upon by four other blue-skinned warrior women armed with laser rifles. One of the laser-armed women shouts to the ones who are pinned down: "Surrender Deona! Rejoin our Amazon army! Queen Stryia will be merciful!" "She is a WIZARD!" Deona shouts back. "She shows no mercy!" The laser-weilders begin firing again at the rebels. If the PCs have any sense of fair play (and if they are "anti-wizard" as all good characters in the Thundarr universe should be), they should help the outgunned rebels.

When the battle has turned, the leader shouts for retreat. All of the Amazons will dive into the water, swimming away on giant sharks that have been waiting nearby. Deona thanks the PCs and offers them food and shelter in a nearby hidden cave where she and her rebel Amazon band have taken refuge. She explains that she was once Queen of the Amazons - a race of aquatic water-breathing warriors - until the Wizardess Stryia conquered her underwater domain. "Now Stryia is building an army with which to strike on land as well as at sea!" From her hidden base, Deona has been striking against Stryia, weakening the wizard's defenses. Impressed with the PC's fighting prowess, she asks them to accompany her on a raid on Stryia's underwater base. "Stryia has located an Ancient secret weapon! We must seize it before she can use it against the surface world!" she warns. She offers all of the PCs the use of a set of Aquagills (which they'll be allowed to keep) for this mission.

While swimming to the location of the secret weapon, the party will be spotted by one of Stryia's patrols. They contact Stria who informs them to release the Fraeken - a monstrous squid-like creature trained to protect the area. The Fraeken will attack the party, firing an energy ray at them first before moving in to try to grasp and crush any PC is can get near.

Once the Fraeken is dealt with (or it scampers away), Deona will lead the party to a submerged Ancient air force base. (If the party has been getting away relatively unscathed, toss in an underwater Amazon patrol attack to keep them on their toes. If they've been taking a beating, let them get to the air base after the Fraeken attack.) One of the buildings, an Ancient airplane hanger, has a thick crust of barnacles that have kept it undamaged over the centuries. An airlock leads within. Once the party is inside, they'll see the secret weapon Stryia plans to use - a large combat missle that could level a city! As the party approaches the missle, three Giant Black Widow Spiders descend from the ceiling and attack the party! The bite is deadly (death after 1 turn unless a save versus poison is made).

After the spiders are dealt with, the PCs will hear a shrill laugh coming from within the missle. The nosecone drops off and there stands Queen Stryia! The missle was Trojan Horse - a hollow case in order to lure Deona into her trap for a final battle! Stryia is an 8th level wizard and will not stop until Deona and the PCs are defeated, or she is destroyed! If there are any sorcerers in the party, she will single them out first, trying to incapaciate them first. (And if the PCs are still a viable threat, have a small regiment of Amazons file out of the missle behind Stryia for support.)

Once Stryia has been defeated, Deona reclaims her rightful place as Queen of the Amazons. The PCs have made a very strong ally that they may call on one day. Queen Deona may also reward the PCs with something from her kingdom if the Mutant Lord so wishes.

NOTE: This adventure and its creatures were inspired by the episode "Attack of the Amazon Women" from the classic Ruby-Spears post-apocalyptic cartoon "Thundarr the Barbarian." Obviously some liberties needed to be taken with the original episode's plotline, but I tried to stay as true as I could to the feel of the show. Stay tuned each week for "Thundarr Thursday!"

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Lords of Light! Well, it was bound to happen at some point. I'm running behind with "real life" obligations to the point where I completely missed the weekly Thundarr Thursday post. I'll try to have something in place tomorrow, but just wanted to let everyone know that something's coming. Stay tuned!

Monday, April 5, 2010

Group Goals and Beliefs: To assist the downtrodden. To punish the "naughty." To bring joy to children and adult. To bestow gifts upon the meek.

Identifiers: Helpers are often dressed in red clothes with white lining at the cuffs and collars. They identify each other, one saying "He sees you when you're sleeping." The other will answer, "He knows when you're awake."

Group History: According to legend, San Tass Helpers (male) and San Tass Elles (female) were founded long before the Final Wars. The group's founder, "Saint Nickolas Krangel," was a citizen of the town of San Tass, thought to have been located near the Ancient cities of San Diego and San Francisco. A true benefactor, Krangel made it his mission in life to bestow gifts to those who were truly worthy. He would travel thorough the world in one night to deliver these gifts. (It is thought that he had a very advanced form of teleportation.) Legend has it that he kept a list of all of the good and bad people in the world - checking it twice before his worldwide rounds. Krangel was also a powerful telepath, able to look at the minds of anyone anywhere, knowing instantly if that person was sleeping or awake, or bad or good. The San Tass Helpers/Elles now follow the Doctrine of Krangel by making rounds throughout the Wastelands, bringing joy to the little ones and bestowing their gifts to those who are "good." Those who are "naughty" are met with punishment - sometimes violently, depending on the faction's stance. It is said that the most holy of San Tass religious texts - "A Visit From Saint Nickolas" - resides at Krangel's final resting at Nord Poll. Many pilgrimages to this holiest of places have never returned.

Game Information: This group is very church-like in its devoutness to The Most Holy Krangal. They follow absolute tenants of Christmastime, i.e., giving, charity, goodwill, peace, etc. However, they also know that the wicked is punished for being "naughty" (which is an absolute mortal sin to the Helpers). They know the Ancient texts refer to a flammable rock known as "coal" as a means to punish, so they have twisted the meaning to be "punishment by fire." So even though the followers are helpful and peaceful, they will violently punish the wicked by setting fire to their home, their belongings, or even them.

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Blogmeister Dave B. has first come up with a system of introducing modern military classes into the Mutant Future. His post on Modern Military Classes introduces the Pilot, Medic, Scientist, Scout, and Soldier to the post-apocalyptic hellscape. (It is a little reminiscent of a concept I had for introducing classes to MutFut, but I like what Dave has presented.)

Dave also statted up everyone's favorite displaced 25th century Earth defender with his entry on Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. Using his own Military Classes system, Dave created Buck, Wilma Deering, Dr. Heur, and even Twiki! If you ever wondered how Buck would fare in the world of the blasted future, now's your chance!

(Oh, and I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Dave's excellent ideas for Labyrinth Lord too! Go check out the site!)

Thursday, April 1, 2010

An Aquagill is an Ancient facemask that enables the wearer to function underwater as if they were above water. When wearing an Aquagill, the wearer is able to breathe underwater as well as speak. Treat the wearer as having the mutation of water breathing while it is in use.

An Aquagill is a soft rubber facemask with a hard clear plastic see-through faceshield. A large cup-like apparatus (the intake) fits over the nose and mouth. Unlike Scuba gear which acts as a self-contained air reservoir, an Aquagill takes in water through the nose/mouth intake and draws out breathable oxygen for the wearer. The deoxygenated water is then expelled through twin tubes on either side of the intake.

The Aquagill not only supplies air to the wearer, it also acts as a pressurizer on the wearer's body. Through Ancient processes (not fully understood), the Aquagill allows the wearer to descend to underwater depths that would normally crush them. Even at one mile underwater, the wearer will feel a slight pressure on his or her chest at most. An Aquagill uses a standard power cell which allows it to run for 1 hour before being depleted.

Even though the Aquagill allows the wearer to function underwater, this does not enable them to swim any better than they could without it. A set of swimfins or other swimming aid may be necessary to keep the wearer from flailing about helplessly. Also, since the Aquagill uses water as its air source, it cannot be successfully used outside of an underwater environment. Wearing an Aquagill in this situation would ironically be suffocating for the wearer since it is incapable of drawing oxygen from dry air. It will not protect the wearer from poison gasses, smoke, or other airborne contaminants.

NOTE: This item is inspired by the episode "Attack of the Amazon Women" from the classic Ruby Spears cartoon "Thundarr the Barbarian." Stay tuned each week for Thundarr Thursday!

The Savage AfterWorld presents rules, adventures, supplements, and discussion for many RPGs, focusing on the Old School Renaissance, Goblinoid Games, and the classic Pacesetter system. (There may also be some boardgame-related material too!) If you wish to contact me, email gameagain at gmail dot com (Replace 'at' and 'dot' with correct symbols though...)

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Creepy Comic Conversion Issues 1 & 2 for Cryptworld

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One Year In The Savage AfterWorld For Mutant Future

Available at Drive Through RPG and Lulu! Click the cover for ordering information!

Deviant Database 2.0 for Mutant Future

Available at Drive Through RPG and Lulu! Click the cover for ordering information!

Deviant Database For Mutant Future

Available at Drive Through RPG and Lulu! Click the cover for ordering information!

Chamber of CHILLS Award

The Order of the d30

Art Disclaimer

Some of the art used in this blog was glommed from random places on the Internet and is used without permission. No rights are implied or assumed. If you are the original owner and would like it removed, please drop me a line and I shall be happy to do so. Thank you.